


The Art of Looking for Trouble

by Gammarad



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Alien AI thinks she's helping, Artificial Intelligence, Balmorra (Star Wars), M/M, Mpreg, Politics, The Force, Twi'leks (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-21 08:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19998910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gammarad/pseuds/Gammarad
Summary: Balmorra is a complicated place with complicated politics.Someonemight have got Zenith in trouble.





	The Art of Looking for Trouble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Asymptotical](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asymptotical/gifts).



> Title from a quote by ~~Groucho Marx~~ Ernest Benn: "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."

Zenith stood still and watched the President of Balmorra pace. He would have thought that a couple of years of planetary leadership would have given Tai Cordan some seasoning, but he still looked and acted too young for the responsibility. 

Cordan stopped in front of the door. He looked right at Zenith. "I need you to be here, not off—"

"Helping me save the Republic?" The Jedi had one of those "Why am I the only rational being here?" looks on his blue face. With most Twi'lek, Zenith would be able to read their lekku more easily than their facial expression, but as usual his Jedi wore them bound together behind his head, rendering him utterly deadpan. It was frustrating, unnatural, and— compelling. 

Zenith as always refused to be baited into staring or trying to see twitches he knew would not happen. He watched Tai Cordan instead, whose face was mobile and expressive and usually hid nothing. "The people of Balmorra don't think he should put the rest of the Republic above them. They chose him as opposition leader for Balmorra." Tai Cordan smoothed out his smile, remembering he was addressing the Barsen'thor. "The Republic is an important ally, of course." 

"Of course. Zenith is vital to my mission, and the Republic is vital to the well-being of Balmorra. The Empire would take you over without a second thought if we were no longer able to protect you."

Much as he might enjoy watching the two of them fight over him, Zenith thought they had come here for a different reason. He gestured toward the closed door they were still standing in front of. "Galthe is waiting." 

The whole reason they had come to Balmorra was so that Zenith would be seen visiting the disabled former President, Retheus Galthe, allowing his staff to get positive coverage in the local news holochannels of how much their opposition leader cared about the man's recovery progress. Not only was it symbolic or something, the technology was planned for a larger rollout to help more of the Balmorran citizens traumatized by the long years of war on their planet once it had proven itself on the ex-President and a few other high profile cases.

This technology was a complex AI-managed treatment that only a few locals really understood. The AI herself spoke up in response to Zenith's statement. "Retheus awaits your visit," her voice said. 

"Who is that?" the Jedi asked.

"The AI who set up this treatment center," Tai Cordan said. "We found her at the Okara droid factory while trying to deactivate the virus there. Seems like she had been part of the secret of its success all along. But she wanted to stop making war droids anyway, she said, and do something better with her skills."

"I am able to set right much of the damage war does to the minds of living beings," the soothing AI voice said. "I am called VIRGO. Please enter the room now."

The door opened.

* * *

The former President of Balmorra had been in treatment for a long time before he recovered the ability to dress himself and ask for food when he was hungry. Zenith hadn't expected him to be much better now.

The man he saw, though, looked like he didn't just remember how to zip zippers and button buttons— he knew the impression his clothing made on visitors. He had on a smart outfit that was an up-to-date fashion but still reminded Zenith of the President's appearances on the holonet news before the advent of Darth Lachris. 

"Tai," said Galthe. "So good of you to drop by."

VIRGO's voice said, "Yes, Retheus. The President is very busy, but he has made time to see you. And this is the opposition leader, Zenith, and the Republic Jedi Master who is his," the AI's voice paused. "I do not find a record of your precise relationship in my data banks," she added archly. 

"Jedi do not form _attachments_ ," Tai Cordan said. Zenith noted an excess redness on his forehead and ears that had appeared as he spoke. 

"That does explain the lack of data," VIRGO said. 

"I could not help overhearing your discussion outside my door." Galthe looked up and into a corner of his room where a small blue light blinked on and off steadily. He watched it blink for a long moment of silence, then looked from Zenith to Tai Cordan and back again. "One possible solution to your trouble is an excuse that the public would be happier about. I don't believe either of you has yet started a family?"

"Balmorrans do like to speculate on their President's love life," VIRGO said. "Tai, is there any special someone? You can tell Retheus and me in confidence, of course."

"When would I find the _time_?" Cordan said plaintively. "I've been working day and night and barely taking time to eat, sleep, and use the fresher. Personal life? Who has one of those?" He shook his head, then looked at Zenith. "You, on the other hand."

"Spend all my time working with the Barsen'thor and his crew on important— and of course," Zenith added, remembering where he was, "consult with my staff on Balmorra on everything we need to do to represent the minority interests of our citizens. Have no time for anything else."

"I see the issue perfectly," VIRGO's voice said. "I have just the solutions you need."

A mouse droid rolled up and delivered a datapad to Tai Cordan. It appeared about to roll away when something flashed on its side and Zenith felt a jolt in his ankle. 

His Jedi immediately had his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber. "What did you just do to my— to Zenith?"

"Only what is required for the smooth process of Balmorran government and the mental health of its citizens, of course," VIRGO's voice said.

"She always knows just how to fix things," ex-President Galthe said. He sounded far too chipper and amused. 

Zenith's ankle hurt. "Think the droid malfunctioned and hit me with something," he said to the Jedi. "Doesn't feel serious. I'll be fine."

"Yes, you will be," the Jedi said. His voice seemed perfectly tranquil. Zenith could tell he was worried, though. It wasn't good when his Jedi was worried. "VIRGO, get a medical droid in here."

"Of course, Barsen'thor." A medical droid walked in moments later. It scanned Zenith with something green, then with something blue, then with something violet. Injections in matching colors followed. 

His ankle stopped hurting. "All better." Zenith looked at his Jedi. "Whatever it was, fine now."

"Good." The Jedi looked at Galthe. "You seem much better than when we last met. The treatment is a success?"

"A brilliant one," Galthe said. "Thanks to VIRGO."

"You're so welcome, Retheus."

Tai Cordan finished tapping at the datapad, which he'd been doing since the mouse droid had given it to him. "Am I finished?" he asked.

"Yes, that is satisfactory, Tai." VIRGO's voice sounded pleased. "I am sure the same treatment I have achieved with Retheus will be successful with many other Balmorrans. Please assure your ministers and staff of Retheus's excellent mental health and the great promise of my program."

Tai Cordan and Zenith looked at each other. For once, they were in complete agreement. "I'll be sure to tell them all about you," Cordan said warmly. He looked nervous. Zenith shrugged. It was time to go.

* * *

Two months later, Zenith received a message from VIRGO. It had the latest celebrity news from Balmorra framed at the top, with gossipy bits about Tai Cordan being spotted recently with a "new friend" or were they more than friends? Zenith looked skeptically past this to the next section, which seemed to be an even stranger flight of fancy. It was supposedly a pamphlet about dealing with pregnancy for male Twi'leks. 

But male Twi'leks were not able to be pregnant. 

Even though he'd been having unusual loss of appetite for the last month. He read the pamphlet anyway, out of curiosity as to how silly it would be.

Each line he read was more alarming. Every symptom it listed was one he'd had. His abdomen did feel different to the touch. His internal temperature was a small amount hotter than usual. The loss of appetite, the vague ache in his back when he woke up that was gone a couple of hours later. 

He went to his Jedi. "Can you sense anything… here?" Zenith pointed at the area halfway between the bottom of his ribcage and his groin. 

His Jedi looked at him hard. Zenith couldn't tell if this was interesting or worrying. He had to hope for interesting. The Jedi put both hands on Zenith's midsection, palms flat against the cloth of his uniform. There was a long pause. Too long. Then, "Yes," said the Jedi.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, Zenith, I sense him." The Jedi's lekku _rippled_ despite their binding.

It had to be painful. How did he stand it? "Can't you take that cursed thing off?" Wait, had he said that _out loud_?

"No. How did this happen?" The Jedi was not interested, was not worried. He was— 

"No idea," Zenith said. That applied to a lot of things. He had no idea what the Jedi was asking about, therefore no idea how whatever it was had happened, and no other ideas either. Also no idea how he could possibly be pregnant. But it seemed like he was. 

"Don't let them take him away from you," the Jedi said. He gripped Zenith's arm tightly. "They will try. Don't let them."

"Who?" But he knew.

"Our son."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the kind friends on Discord, wednesday, CT, and Karios, who read this in the middle of the night and reassured me it was OK.


End file.
